Challenges of setting up flow cytometry for diagnosis of leukemia and lymphoma at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

The bone marrow (BM) is a complex tissue containing cells of multiple hematopoietic cell lineages in all stages of development. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping evaluates the frequencies of the various leukocyte (sub) populations in BM and blood that then helps in the diagnosis of leukemia's. The aim of this study was to identify challenges of setting up an advanced diagnostic tool like flow cytometry in a resource strained country like Kenya. This is based on a 2 year experience of use of flow cytometry for diagnosis of leukemia, the challenges faced by both the pathologists and the technical team.